Could You Slow It Down?
Toronto, Canada | Film Feature
Sport, LGBTQ
Would you agree that women's sports are in a huge growth phase? And in the midst of PRIDE season, we have a queer coming-of-age drama about the power of sports teams as community builders. Following the success of my hockey short, "Could You Take My Equipment?", I give you SOFTBALL!
Could You Slow It Down?
Toronto, Canada | Film Feature
Sport, LGBTQ
3 Campaigns | Ontario, Canada
Green Light
This campaign raised C$15,100 for pre-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
56 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Would you agree that women's sports are in a huge growth phase? And in the midst of PRIDE season, we have a queer coming-of-age drama about the power of sports teams as community builders. Following the success of my hockey short, "Could You Take My Equipment?", I give you SOFTBALL!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
This time last year, with help from our Seed & Spark supporters, I completed my first in a series of queer female sports films, which has now been an Official Selection in over a dozen festivals.
I'm back! With "Could You Slow It Down?", a coming of age drama about a small town, elite softball player who discovers a whole new, loving community in a lesbian recreational softball league.
Our protagonist, WENDY, infatuated with a teammate on her elite softball squad, TOWER, lives in the closet, their relationship hidden, and completely under Tower’s control, who also has a very public boyfriend. Wendy dreams of a scholarship to play NCAA softball, but is passed by. Tower is chosen. On her own, for the first time, Wendy moves to Toronto with best friend, MAGS, for university.
Uni friend, urban girl, TRENT, suggests they join a lesbian softball league to meet women and have fun, Wendy enters a whole new "out" world, and a bevvy of every type of woman...all ages, professions and attitudes. It's an eye-opener, presenting all kinds of "opportunities". But it's not without challenges, like adjusting to a recreational game with rules, like the ability to slow the pitch down. And when Tower shows up, Wendy's back in old patterns, and drawn back into a poisonous relationship. But her new softball peeps don't give up until Wendy finds her own power, and true acceptance.
Riverdale Park West - I've sat on that bench many times
Long History of Lesbian Softball
Toronto has had NOTSO Amazon lesbian softball since the early 80s. Like our partner, the "Women's Hockey Club of Toronto", for our hockey film last year, I am already talking with NOTSO about how we could work together on this project. I played in NOTSO for more than 10 years and made so many lifelong friends and met such a variety of people. I also played in Vancouver's Mabel league, 4 divisions of lesbian softball. It's grown from the two divisions they had when I was there!
Queer sports provide community, support, a safe place and fun activities.
The view from the hill of Riverdale Park West
Why Me? Why Us?
If I have one legacy plan in my film life, it's to create a series of queer, sports-based stories. I started with the short, "Could You Take My Equipment?" and am moving to the feature space, after creating 4 shorts since 2022, all playing in multiple festivals, and two, "Park 33" and "SOS Paperclip" are now in distribution. I have a talented group of Toronto-based crew, many I worked with last year on the hockey film, along with the cast in a few cameos. And I am joined by the amazing Tiffany Cole as Co-Producer, and my invaluable film partner on 3 previous projects and all those in development.
"Could You Slow It Down?" is the right story, at the right time, synergizing with the electric rise of women's sports - the kind of viewership and financial support of fans from all demographics, like we've never seen before! We'll be capturing the drama, the romance, the fun and the softball action you want to see. We have some incredible actors all set! And I'll be working with my favourite stuntwoman / actress, Afton Rentz, who will help us create some amazing actor action!
I'll be sharing exclusive behind the scenes photos / videos for "Could You Slow It Down?". Join me here and on Instagram for more!
My 2023 film about a homeless teen who finds community in a queer women's hockey league
When, Where, How?
We aim to be rolling cameras in the late fall, in downtown Toronto, and complete post-production by February, to be ready to submit to festivals like Tribeca, high profile queer festivals and select city festivals. And, we have several distribution options already under consideration, to bring our film to global markets through broadcast and streamers.
The early development money that comes from crowdfunding supporters like you, help us attract larger investors, pay for legal costs like incorporation, copyright docs, contracts (investor, crew, cast), costs to prepare for production (e.g. Line Producer, Director of Photography, Locations Manager, Wardrobe, Accountant, Assistant Director), cast attachments, deposits for locations, equipment, and digital assets (e.g. posters, promotional materials).
How Can I Help?
Any size of pledge will help us toward our $17,000 goal, and EVEN EXCEED it! Our overall budget is $200,000CAD to cover the total cost of development, production, post-production, marketing, distribution.
And SHARING our campaign is such an important way to help, and so appreciated!
Spread the word to your socially minded friends, your sporty friends, your LGBTQ+ network… And when you follow us on Seed and Spark, and on Instagram / X, you’ll have the inside scoop on our progress.
Here are some examples. Feel free to copy and paste!
Help filmmaker @swarrenfilm by supporting the production of "COULD YOU SLOW IT DOWN?", their coming of age feature film about the community building of queer sports leagues. Join them at Could You Slow It Down? - Film and Storytelling | Seed&Spark (seedandspark.com)
I just read about "COULD YOU SLOW IT DOWN?" directed by filmmaker @swarrenfilm and WOW, you need to support this feature film! Join them at Could You Slow It Down? - Film and Storytelling | Seed&Spark (seedandspark.com)
I'm so excited to see the feature film "COULD YOU SLOW IT DOWN?", by director/writer @swarrenfilm, being made in Toronto, Ontario in the fall. Support them at Could You Slow It Down? - Film and Storytelling | Seed&Spark (seedandspark.com)
Sheila Warren, Producer, Director, Writer
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Location - A House
Costs C$500
We will need a house we can use for our main characters, Wendy, Trent and Mags.
Legal
Costs C$2,500
To create a feature, we need to set up our corporation, including all of the legal paperwork, contracts, rights etc.
Softball Diamonds
Costs C$2,200
We'll need three softball diamonds for Wendy along with permits, parking, vehicle storage, tents (for cast, bad weather), and food.
Casting Key Roles
Costs C$7,500
Utilizing our casting director, we will be signing some high value cast to attract distributors, so more people will see our film.
Wardrobe, Props
Costs C$1,300
We will need to get jerseys for our actor/players, costumes and various props needed for softball like bats, balls, equipment etc.
A bar, and a cafe
Costs C$1,000
Our characters spend a lot of time hanging out together, especially in the bar. And a coffee at a cute cafe turns into a major drama
Preproduction Prep
Costs C$2,000
There are so many things you need to do to prepare for film production, like finalizing your budget, creating a shooting schedule...
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
In early 2022, we built an amazing team of cast and crew for our short film, "Could You Take My Equipment?", now in the festival circuit. Many of the same crew and all of our cast are reprising their roles in this production. We will be expanding our team as we transition from a 2 day short film to a feature, and bringing in our key Executive Producers, Katheryn Swann and Rowena Tachias (Buffalo Trail Productions, New Mexico), and my Co-Producer, Tiffany Cole.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
This time last year, with help from our Seed & Spark supporters, I completed my first in a series of queer female sports films, which has now been an Official Selection in over a dozen festivals.
I'm back! With "Could You Slow It Down?", a coming of age drama about a small town, elite softball player who discovers a whole new, loving community in a lesbian recreational softball league.
Our protagonist, WENDY, infatuated with a teammate on her elite softball squad, TOWER, lives in the closet, their relationship hidden, and completely under Tower’s control, who also has a very public boyfriend. Wendy dreams of a scholarship to play NCAA softball, but is passed by. Tower is chosen. On her own, for the first time, Wendy moves to Toronto with best friend, MAGS, for university.
Uni friend, urban girl, TRENT, suggests they join a lesbian softball league to meet women and have fun, Wendy enters a whole new "out" world, and a bevvy of every type of woman...all ages, professions and attitudes. It's an eye-opener, presenting all kinds of "opportunities". But it's not without challenges, like adjusting to a recreational game with rules, like the ability to slow the pitch down. And when Tower shows up, Wendy's back in old patterns, and drawn back into a poisonous relationship. But her new softball peeps don't give up until Wendy finds her own power, and true acceptance.
Riverdale Park West - I've sat on that bench many times
Long History of Lesbian Softball
Toronto has had NOTSO Amazon lesbian softball since the early 80s. Like our partner, the "Women's Hockey Club of Toronto", for our hockey film last year, I am already talking with NOTSO about how we could work together on this project. I played in NOTSO for more than 10 years and made so many lifelong friends and met such a variety of people. I also played in Vancouver's Mabel league, 4 divisions of lesbian softball. It's grown from the two divisions they had when I was there!
Queer sports provide community, support, a safe place and fun activities.
The view from the hill of Riverdale Park West
Why Me? Why Us?
If I have one legacy plan in my film life, it's to create a series of queer, sports-based stories. I started with the short, "Could You Take My Equipment?" and am moving to the feature space, after creating 4 shorts since 2022, all playing in multiple festivals, and two, "Park 33" and "SOS Paperclip" are now in distribution. I have a talented group of Toronto-based crew, many I worked with last year on the hockey film, along with the cast in a few cameos. And I am joined by the amazing Tiffany Cole as Co-Producer, and my invaluable film partner on 3 previous projects and all those in development.
"Could You Slow It Down?" is the right story, at the right time, synergizing with the electric rise of women's sports - the kind of viewership and financial support of fans from all demographics, like we've never seen before! We'll be capturing the drama, the romance, the fun and the softball action you want to see. We have some incredible actors all set! And I'll be working with my favourite stuntwoman / actress, Afton Rentz, who will help us create some amazing actor action!
I'll be sharing exclusive behind the scenes photos / videos for "Could You Slow It Down?". Join me here and on Instagram for more!
My 2023 film about a homeless teen who finds community in a queer women's hockey league
When, Where, How?
We aim to be rolling cameras in the late fall, in downtown Toronto, and complete post-production by February, to be ready to submit to festivals like Tribeca, high profile queer festivals and select city festivals. And, we have several distribution options already under consideration, to bring our film to global markets through broadcast and streamers.
The early development money that comes from crowdfunding supporters like you, help us attract larger investors, pay for legal costs like incorporation, copyright docs, contracts (investor, crew, cast), costs to prepare for production (e.g. Line Producer, Director of Photography, Locations Manager, Wardrobe, Accountant, Assistant Director), cast attachments, deposits for locations, equipment, and digital assets (e.g. posters, promotional materials).
How Can I Help?
Any size of pledge will help us toward our $17,000 goal, and EVEN EXCEED it! Our overall budget is $200,000CAD to cover the total cost of development, production, post-production, marketing, distribution.
And SHARING our campaign is such an important way to help, and so appreciated!
Spread the word to your socially minded friends, your sporty friends, your LGBTQ+ network… And when you follow us on Seed and Spark, and on Instagram / X, you’ll have the inside scoop on our progress.
Here are some examples. Feel free to copy and paste!
Help filmmaker @swarrenfilm by supporting the production of "COULD YOU SLOW IT DOWN?", their coming of age feature film about the community building of queer sports leagues. Join them at Could You Slow It Down? - Film and Storytelling | Seed&Spark (seedandspark.com)
I just read about "COULD YOU SLOW IT DOWN?" directed by filmmaker @swarrenfilm and WOW, you need to support this feature film! Join them at Could You Slow It Down? - Film and Storytelling | Seed&Spark (seedandspark.com)
I'm so excited to see the feature film "COULD YOU SLOW IT DOWN?", by director/writer @swarrenfilm, being made in Toronto, Ontario in the fall. Support them at Could You Slow It Down? - Film and Storytelling | Seed&Spark (seedandspark.com)
Sheila Warren, Producer, Director, Writer
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Location - A House
Costs C$500
We will need a house we can use for our main characters, Wendy, Trent and Mags.
Legal
Costs C$2,500
To create a feature, we need to set up our corporation, including all of the legal paperwork, contracts, rights etc.
Softball Diamonds
Costs C$2,200
We'll need three softball diamonds for Wendy along with permits, parking, vehicle storage, tents (for cast, bad weather), and food.
Casting Key Roles
Costs C$7,500
Utilizing our casting director, we will be signing some high value cast to attract distributors, so more people will see our film.
Wardrobe, Props
Costs C$1,300
We will need to get jerseys for our actor/players, costumes and various props needed for softball like bats, balls, equipment etc.
A bar, and a cafe
Costs C$1,000
Our characters spend a lot of time hanging out together, especially in the bar. And a coffee at a cute cafe turns into a major drama
Preproduction Prep
Costs C$2,000
There are so many things you need to do to prepare for film production, like finalizing your budget, creating a shooting schedule...
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
In early 2022, we built an amazing team of cast and crew for our short film, "Could You Take My Equipment?", now in the festival circuit. Many of the same crew and all of our cast are reprising their roles in this production. We will be expanding our team as we transition from a 2 day short film to a feature, and bringing in our key Executive Producers, Katheryn Swann and Rowena Tachias (Buffalo Trail Productions, New Mexico), and my Co-Producer, Tiffany Cole.